Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-28

ont 81 ~ YET sces what NO wants 10
bull market That's what they say.
I'm in favor Of Il to onct.D
He heaved Sigh and relapscd into
gloomy silence.
He is not the only WaIl-street man
bowed down with disgust.
BUSINESS Is DULL.
Commissions are few. Expenses are
heavy. New suits are scarce. Brokers
who Cnce had bali dozen new suits
every summer now wear the half-dozen
changes Of last year. which betray the
rayaees OF time. They don't hire cabs,
hsnsoDis, or coaches. They walk or
they take tie Broadway cars or the ele-
waited read. They used to clamor for
eats, and cabmen were magnates who
laid down their own law rs TO prices.
Now ell is changed. Cabby sits on
high, like grim Moloch waiting for
victims, hut they come not.
Few brokers are out of town. They
are scarce at Newport, Saratoga, and
Tar karhor. Thcre-are not 30 many
Ms usual st Long Branch. Many Of
those who have LETT town have not gone
TO The s5-a-day hotels. They say it is
healthier ~ the small hotels or board
ing.houses in out of-the-way places at
81 20 a Gay. Up in the Adirondack
limiting regions broker, in good
tines, would pay high board and hire
a guide at So day. Now he and other
brokers go to a cheap clearinghouse
and half dozen will club together and
pay guide SO day-that is, tax of
% cents each instead OF S5-a saving
OF LOCO per cent.
Ilenty OF Wall-street brokers are
now at obscure and unheard-of villages,
far from the maddiDg crowd, living on
novel fare Tor 81 week. They say it
is healthier than Newporto or Saratoga
lote dinners and languid breakfasts.
They are right. But dull Market
not the doctors, opened their eyes.
Hundreds OF brokers have remained
in the city. There are few big dinners
With the mass it is no longer cham
payne; it is beer. Beer and sand
wiches, the latter. too, often furnished
graiuiiously by the establishment which
provides the beer for a money consid-
Grafton.
BEER AND FREE LUNCH.
The iron has entered the soul OF many
a once naughty broker. You may
laugh, but it is no joke-to him. A
Wall-street philanthropist, filed with a
benevolent desire to emancipatc the
relics Of better day s from the degrading
thraldom of beer, said the other day
1.-THE boys ought to take a bintfr
little exploit OF Uncle Russell Sage
He went into free-lunch place on one
occasion and began munching sand
wich. Presently an acquaintance en-
tered and called for glass Of whiskey.
"Let me have the fifteen cents, will
Won ?" said the economical Russell.
His friend banded it TO him. Sage
added ten cents TO the fifteen and then
tuned TO the barkeeper and ordered
two drinks Of wbiskey. "Two for n
quarfer, You know, said Sage, in ex-
pIanat;on to his astouished friend.
"Ycu don't pay any more than you
would in any case, and save five cents
II the brokers' will pool their issues
and mite on this basis, whisley may
vet be within the reach OF many who
row look and long and munca gift
sandwiches and pull at humble beer. "
But / said that many brokers remain
in town. They do. 1t is one oil the
solemn facts Of the season. Some OF
them take ffty.cent trips to Coney
island. For instance, let US say the
broker takes the $50 P. II. boat for
the iron ficr. He arrives there al 1850
STAYS there till $50; gets back 10 New
York Ivy $50. He has three hours of
cool pleasure for fifty cents. \ large
lumber of brokers take these trips
some tvc,y evening, some once week.
"WGl, said n broker, III referring
io this fact. at docs them more good
to go down there in quiet, economi-
eel way than TO 90 of TO sumner ra-
sorts and spend their money for whis-
key
Tut the dulness Of the stock specu-
lation has its serious side Brokers
cont laugh about it. Some houset
have given up private wires, discharged
stu4oeraphers and telegraph operators
and closed branch Offices. One firm
told their clerks that they could take
the usual tNo-weeks' vacation with pay
and stay two monthsi if they liked with
cut pay, agreeing at the same time t.
employ them on their return.
But there is an old saying "Wher
things get to their worst then they ian
provc," and having doubtless reached
The worst We may not unreasonably ex
sect q better business in stocks ant
more cheerful times this fall.